Trades & Free Agency Thread: 2024-2025 Season Edition

[LeafChief]

never gets old, counting chickens before they've hatched...........

He made a well written, well thought out post on a topic discussed by Friedman on HNIC last night.

He provided actual constructive discussing points to the forum. In my opinion, this is a lot more interesting to read than a handful of smooth brains that like to live in their echo chamber of negativity.

 

[Menzinger]

I don’t get what people see in Dewar, he’s been a complete non factor offensively and defensively since he’s gotten to Toronto. I would have no problem waiving him if we need to free up the cap space. It’s not hard to find fringe undersized NHL players.

Reaves should be getting the Simmonds treatment. Waive (no one will pick him up), send him technically down to clear most of his cap hit and keep him around the big club for practices and until you need him in your lineup.

I don’t mind Kampf. Yes he’s overpaid but he plays a position of need and there’s not much available out there. He’s excellent on the PK and is one of the few who show up in the playoffs. If we needed to free up cap space, I would have no issues moving on from Kampf but for now I’d hold onto him if we could.

Lorentz - Kampf - ________

I would be shopping around looking for a righty to play along side Lorentz and Kampf. Would love to acquire Bastian. Another local boy like Lorentz who can give you 10-12 minutes a night of physical hard working hockey.

I also don't mind Kampf as a player. But the problem remains is he makes too much money to be a 4C, and any third line run through him is going to be dead offensively.

 

[conFABulator]

Who is spending money before we have it? The question was what should we do IF the money becomes available?

Would you prefer the team waits until the last minute before developing a plan? Again, knowing what the cap is doing next year impacts moves we make this year.

If the team is thinking about it, what is wrong with fans doing it also?

 

[LeafSteel]

How good would Lomberg have looked as our 4LW?

Guy has ultra compete and an absolute dick to play against.

Along with Lorentz, and that is a miserable 4th line to play against.

 

[Kiwi]

This is likely the plan. It's a perfect time right now to call him up and see what's up. Steeves will get some more games as well I suspect. But I am not sure the Leafs can go into the playoffs with this current depth regardless. They will very likely go out and grab a player or two that bolsters it.

Side note not pointed at you directly, just a general note, I'll never understand the fixation with having Domi play over Nylander with Matthews, especially when he's one of the best scorers in the league right now. Putting your best players together is what works. Nylander is far more dangerous if he can be fed pucks and have him feed our best players. The 3rd line needs to find it's own identity and it's own way of producing and being effective, thus needing to probably make a trade to make it so.

I like Nylander on the 3rd line because he's able to drive it and make his linemates better

That gives you 3 attacking options rather than stacking the top 6 and only having 2

I like the thought of 10-12 minutes on the 3rd line, PP time then using him strategically with a Matthew's or Tavares to get him to 20 minutes a night

He gets what he needs to produce and we get a deeper more dangerous lineup

 

[horner]

I understand Bennett, at the time everyone would have been pissed if Dubas paid a 1st + for an underachieving Bennett. He just took off in Florida. Paul would have been nice too, but two rivals especially Toronto and Ottawa never see a trade between the two for the most part. Strome apparently had interest in coming to Toront

o as a UFA.

U will check but I don't chunk it was a first for Bennett.
He always woke up in the playoffs that's why I wanted him and I think he needed a change of scenery.
Always been tough as

Bennett + 6th rd pk
for
Emil Heineman + 2nd rd pk

Heineman was traded to Montreal

 

[Kiwi]

Who is spending money before we have it? The question was what should we do IF the money becomes available?

Would you prefer the team waits until the last minute before developing a plan? Again, knowing what the cap is doing next year impacts moves we make this year.

If the team is thinking about it, what is wrong with fans doing it also?

My plan would be to offer Marner the same % of the cap Nylander got, if the cap skyrockets so be it and to get a 3C in I like (Frost Dvorak) to see how he fits the team before I try resigning him

The last thing I want is to give a guy 5M+ then find out he isn't a good fit

I'd also try to keep Tavares but he'd need to work with us to try to get the cap to work

 

[Maple Leaf]

Taylor vh

Hall?

 

[notdoneyet]

I would love to see us get these players at the deadline
Vatrano from Anaheim
Mcbain from Utah
Olivier from Columbus

What would it take with this combo of players
Prospects and draft picks
Robertson holmberg Nielma Jarnkrok
Steeves draft picks not a first

Knies matthews domi this line can score
Mcmann Tavares nylander this line can score
Vatrano Mcbain marner two guys crash net create space for marner to work his magic
Lorentz kampf Olivier forecheck defense hard
Dewar/reaves

Good size on every line and a lineup that you could go to war with in the playoffs

 

[jaric1862]

Bjugstad, Gourde, Evans in that order.

 

[Fogelhund]

I would love to see us get these players at the deadline
Vatrano from Anaheim
Mcbain from Utah
Olivier from Columbus

What would it take with this combo of players
Prospects and draft picks
Robertson holmberg Nielma Jarnkrok
Steeves draft picks not a first

Knies matthews domi this line can score
Mcmann Tavares nylander this line can score
Vatrano Mcbain marner two guys crash net create space for marner to work his magic
Lorentz kampf Olivier forecheck defense hard
Dewar/reaves

Good size on every line and a lineup that you could go to war with in the playoffs

I appreciate he's hurt right now, but Patches is on the second line when healthy, and you've seemingly either discounted him playing, or forgotten about him.

I'm on board with you on Olivier, and I've always liked McBain. I'm not convinced Utah moves him though... they seem to be falling in the standings after a decent start, so there are chances they make changes, but a fairly young C, isn't likely who they move. Love to get him though.

Interesting enough, Utah fans are tired of Crouse... he's having a rough year, not producing. Him and his wife Claire had their first baby, and as some of you know, that can be challenging. Crouse is from Mt. Brydges and Claire from Guelph.... it's always easier to raise kids with family around. Tough cap to swallow though.

 

[arso40]

I appreciate he's hurt right now, but Patches is on the second line when healthy, and you've seemingly either discounted him playing, or forgotten about him.

I'm on board with you on Olivier, and I've always liked McBain. I'm not convinced Utah moves him though... they seem to be falling in the standings after a decent start, so there are chances they make changes, but a fairly young C, isn't likely who they move. Love to get him though.

Interesting enough, Utah fans are tired of Crouse... he's having a rough year, not producing. Him and his wife Claire had their first baby, and as some of you know, that can be challenging. Crouse is from Mt. Brydges and Claire from Guelph.... it's always easier to raise kids with family around. Tough cap to swallow though.

Crouse would be perfect then our top 9 forward group is set

 

[LeafsOHLRangers98]

Bjugstad, Gourde, Evans in that order.

Bjugstad and Brock Nelson to form a 3rd line with Domi would give us a massive boost offensively, not to mention adding significant size.

 

[TMLAM34]

Crouse + Bjugstad would be a nice package.

 

[Maple Leaf]

Bjugstad and Brock Nelson to form a 3rd line with Domi would give us a massive boost offensively, not to mention adding significant size.

Crouse + Bjugstad would be a nice package.

yes this is it

 

[OVO16]

We got a nice little cap-space from the Jarnkrok news.

I think it also goes without saying our trade deadline acquisitions will be a forward.

 

[Fogelhund]

Crouse would be perfect then our top 9 forward group is set

Who would you drop out of the top nine, Domi or McMann... assuming that it's Knies, Matthews, Marner, Patches, Tavares, Nylander in the top six..

and then McMann/Domi 3C of your choice, Crouse??

 

[SprDaVE]

Bjugstad and Brock Nelson to form a 3rd line with Domi would give us a massive boost offensively, not to mention adding significant size.

What are we giving these teams to acquire these players. Not sure it's that simple, both cap space wise and asset wise.

 

[Kurtz]

What about Malkin? 6m this year + next, apparently everyone but Sid will be available unless Pitt turns it around (unlikely).

Not sure if Dubas would be open to trading with us, but if he was, he's pretty familiar with our system and might be interested in a guy like Minten.

 

[ULF_55]

Taylor vh

Hall?

Healthy scratched ... is he done?

 

[LeafsOHLRangers98]

What are we giving these teams to acquire these players. Not sure it's that simple, both cap space wise and asset wise.

Bjugstad and Nelson are both expiring but Nelson would likely need to be 50% retained so the cost could get up there for him.

It is complicated as you still need to dump Kampf/Jarnkrok/Reaves to make the cap work but we do have a decent amount of picks and guys like Robertson/Minten/Grebenkin if we need to make a move.

 

[ULF_55]

I appreciate he's hurt right now, but Patches is on the second line when healthy, and you've seemingly either discounted him playing, or forgotten about him.

I'm on board with you on Olivier, and I've always liked McBain. I'm not convinced Utah moves him though... they seem to be falling in the standings after a decent start, so there are chances they make changes, but a fairly young C, isn't likely who they move. Love to get him though.

Interesting enough, Utah fans are tired of Crouse... he's having a rough year, not producing. Him and his wife Claire had their first baby, and as some of you know, that can be challenging. Crouse is from Mt. Brydges and Claire from Guelph.... it's always easier to raise kids with family around. Tough cap to swallow though.

I don't think his contract is bad if he's the player he's been for last 3 years.

Cost to acquire only issue, and of course Leafs have to send Cap back, so like extra assets going to Utah.

I suspect there are fans who might be having 2nd. thoughts about Domi.

 

[SprDaVE]

Bjugstad and Nelson are both expiring but Nelson would likely need to be 50% retained so the cost could get up there for him.

It is complicated as you still need to dump Kampf/Jarnkrok/Reaves to make the cap work but we do have a decent amount of picks and guys like Robertson/Minten/Grebenkin if we need to make a move.

Islanders will likely want a 1st and a prospect/young player to retain 50% on Nelson at the minimum. Plenty of contenders will be interested. We have a 2nd and a 3rd this year, no 1st. We have a 1st next year but no 2nd. They can make it work probably especially if they start giving up Cowan, Robertson, Minten, Greb, etc but for a 33 year old pending UFA?

Bjugstad probably fits for a mid range package of some kind if Utah sells again.

What about Malkin? 6m this year + next, apparently everyone but Sid will be available unless Pitt turns it around (unlikely).

Not sure if Dubas would be open to trading with us, but if he was, he's pretty familiar with our system and might be interested in a guy like Minten.

Not sure we have the cap space to make it happen, even if they dump Kampf in the process. And the asking price will be pretty high. He's a PPG player even at his age and his pedigree speaks for itself. It would be awesome to see him here but not sure it fits.

 

[arso40]

Who would you drop out of the top nine, Domi or McMann... assuming that it's Knies, Matthews, Marner, Patches, Tavares, Nylander in the top six..

and then McMann/Domi 3C of your choice, Crouse??

He’d be better suited then domi but I guess he should be on Matthews wing

 

[SHANNYPLAN]

Deadline

Leafs - Blue Jackets

Mathieu Olivier for Calle Jarnkrok/Connor Dewar & 4th

Leafs - Ducks - Sharks

Mikael Granlund --> Ducks
Panthers 2nd & Robertson --> Sharks
Leafs 2026 1st & Pontus Holmberg --> Ducks
Mikael Granlund @ 50% and Jake Vatrano @ 50% --> Leafs

Playoff Lines

Knies - - - Matthews - - - Domi
McMann - - Tavares - - Marner
Vatrano - Granlund - Nylander
Lorentz - - - Kampf - - - Olivier
Dewar/Reaves/Jarnkrok (Depending on LTIR)

Rielly - - - Tanev
Benoit - McCabe
OEL - Hakanpaa
Timmins